Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Golden, Texas 75444
Saturday, March 7, 1992 18:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A STUDENT PILOT SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT MADE AN EN ROUTE STOP AT THE FIRST AIRPORT OF INTENTED DESTINATION BUT DID NOT REFUEL. AFTER DEPARTURE, BASED ON TOTAL TIME EN ROUTE AND THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE INDICATION OF 1/4 TANK, HE MADE A DECISION TO DIVERT TO AN AIRPORT FOR REFUELING. THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE DESCENT AND THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH A FENCE. NEITHER FUEL TANK, FUEL SUMPS, OR THE GASCOLATOR CONTAINED ANY FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL SENSOR UNITS WERE INACCURATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. FACTORS WERE FALSE FUEL SENSOR INDICATIONS AND A FENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/7/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GOLDEN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75444
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 270
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46391
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6938X
NTSB Number FTW92LA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172B
Aircraft Series Identifier 172B
Aircraft Serial Number 17247838
Certified Max Gross Weight 2075
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 26 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 3793
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES G. COLBERT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 628 PURPLE SAGE TRAIN
Aircraft Owner City MESQUITE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75149
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAX E. BOLEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 35044
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75235
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M78
Departure City MALVERN
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3F9
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --